I’ve been researching the history of socialist thought in trying to find a universal definition of socialism. I am trying to unify the two different intellectual traditions one rooted in timeless ethical imperatives and human dignity (Ethical/Revisionist Socialism, Kant and Bernstein) and the other rooted in cold, deterministic material laws ("Scientific" Socialism, Hegel and Marx). And I keep running into what feels like a massive internal contradiction in Marx’s deterministic framework. I’d love to get this community's perspective on these contradictions...

1. Inevitability vs. Mobilization
Marx explicitly dismisses "utopian" moral socialism, arguing that there is no abstract moral obligation to implement socialism. Instead, he claims the dialectic alone creates the material conditions that allow the working class to demand rights. In his view, his "scientific" economic laws will inevitably trigger a situation where the proletariat, driven by rational self interest, acts to end exploitation.

Even if rational self-interest and material laws are the drivers you still cant dismiss ethical/moral socialism when mobilizing the working class inherently requires a deep sense of moral outrage over exploitation? Predicting that worsening economic conditions will inevitably spark class consciousness feels like a roundabout way of saying that moral outrage is the ultimate catalyst for political action. Isn't Marx essentially just "predicting" that moral socialism will ultimately win out because economic conditions will get so bad that people are forced to adopt an ethical stance based in the rational self-interest of ending exploitation?

2. Exploitation Without a Moral Baseline
Marx tries to reject the "moral necessity for egalitarianism," treating universal dignity and rights as bourgeois illusions. Yet, the central pillar of ethical socialism and interdependent moral philosophy is that individual flourishing is inherently relational and bound to the flourishing of others and that rational self interest is still fundamentally rooted in ethical fairness.

To say that the extraction of surplus value is "exploitation" inherently implies that the worker is being cheated or treated unfairly. But "unfairness" is a purely moral concept. How can Marx's theories condemn human suffering and systemic exploitation while simultaneously rejecting the exact universal moral baseline required to define something as "bad" or "exploitative" in the first place?

Historical Context

Marx tried to have his cake and eat it too. He wanted the rhetorical power of the moral condemnation of capitalism, but the intellectual authority of a detached scientist. Marx based his "scientific" socialism on Gegor Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s dialectic, viewing history as an unstoppable, deterministic sequence of economic clashes. Marx believed that socialism would arrive automatically out of structural necessity, making human ethics unnecessary. Marx rejected the "moral necessity for egalitarianism," treating universal dignity and rights as "bourgeois illusions".

Bernstein's Revisionism flatly rejected this. He looked at the empirical data of the late 19th century and noted that Marx’s economic predictions were wrong. Because the "inevitable economic collapse" wasn't happening, Bernstein argued that socialism could no longer be treated as a scientific certainty. Instead, he argued it must be pursued as a conscious ethical choice. To build this ethical foundation, he famously declared a battle cry of "Back to Kant!". The central pillar of Kantian Ethical/Moral and Revisionist Socialism and interdependent moral philosophy is that individual flourishing is inherently relational and bound to the flourishing of others and that rational self interest is still fundamentally rooted in ethical fairness. But "unfairness" is a purely moral concept so to condemn human suffering and systemic exploitation you need the exact type of abstract, timeless moral baseline he rejects in order to define something as "exploitative" in the first place.

question.

Specifically when they make metaphysical claims about human nature and power. Some liberal I know genuinely believes bs along the lines of "absolute power corrupts absolutely" and doesn't say much other than other idealist metaphysical claims about human nature being lazy, and reluctant to stop "charismatic despots". Their only material evidence is "look at history, empires rise and fall" without being specific. Mine you, I read way more history, which they know, but are smug about it because of committing the burden of proof fallacy.

Through a Marxist analysis, what is the origin of the many forms of oppression that exist (sexism, racism, LGBTQphobia, ableism, religious intolerance, xenophobia, etc.)? I'm looking for practical examples, and maybe sources on where to read about these issues. Thanks in advance.

What is the future of work? It seems obvious for a long time now, that the goal is to remove workers from production, in order to replace the human machines, with mechanical and more efficient slaves.

What is the future of work in capitalism and what would it be in socialism?

Which scenario do you think that will we witness the upcoming years?

1. People will temporary lose jobs, but they will eventually be reabsorbed into new types of jobs that will be created, technical ones etc. So people will keep working similarly, but on different type of works.

2. An increasing number of jobs will be mostly or completely replaced by automation and ai, leaving only some working fields that need human interaction as they are

If most workers are removed and have no wages, then nobody can buy the products, therefore solutions for this should be implemented to stabilise the system. Such as a state guaranteed income and weath distribution towards the bottom, so that, the money can circle back to businesses.

As for socialism, what would be the role of people, if automation reaches its peak?

For instance, will again most people not work, and those who do will work only very short hours? What will they do after, since they will be free from work and will receive according to needs?

Is the main goal to use social freedom, in order for everyone to live a decent material life? Develop their individuality and participate in their interests such as science, arts, hobbies etc.

Or would people continue to work in a sense but under a different modality. Meaning productive work, could be transfigured into political work. Meaning the people would make a demos, a democracy, where they would selfgovern themselves and set the policies of their societies as active citizens.

This is the case for ancient greece, where citizens , being free from manual work, since they had slaves, had time to be a demos. Could this be replicated today, especially since the technology of communication, can replicate what happened on the small scale (polis-state), meaning that the modern big scale ( nation-state) could communicate as efficiently for settling policies, as the polis state did, not because of face to face interactions but because of digital communications.

What is your opinion about possible scenarios that automations will bring, in capitalism and in socialism?

A lot of Americans, especially young people on both the left and the right, complain that Israel occupies our country. However, as I'm sure many of you are already aware, if anything Israel is a major vassal state for Washington to conduct military operations, diplomacy, and making Israel basically doing all the hand work for us.

However, cracks in the classical alliance is breaking. The youth has grown to be extremely resentful against Israel, and it's likely protest and opposition against the Israeli government will keep being discussed at length.

This puts US politicians in an awkward position. For the US, Israel is an extremely valuable asset for the money we give it.

However, as boomers start to die and the alliance is becoming increasingly unsustainable, and aid is being reduced, how will Israel's economy look? What is the Middle East gonna look like? And which country may replace America's "Israel" with the same strategic value in geography, technology, business deals, etc.

The National People's Congress isn't solely made up of members of the CCP but they're also not opposition parties so what's their purpose exactly?